Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Water Masses and Circulation in the Tropical Pacific off Central Mexico and Surrounding Areas

Esther Portela Departamento de Oceanografía Física, Centro de Investigación Científica y Educación Superior de Ensenada, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

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Emilio Beier Centro de Investigación Científica y Educación Superior de Ensenada, Unidad La Paz, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico

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Eric D. Barton Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Vigo, Galicia, Spain

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Rubén Castro Facultad de Ciencias Marinas, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

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Victor Godínez Departamento de Oceanografía Física, Centro de Investigación Científica y Educación Superior de Ensenada, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

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Emilio Palacios-Hernández Department of Physics, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico

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Paul C. Fiedler NOAA/Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, California

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Laura Sánchez-Velasco Departamento de Plancton y Ecología Marina, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, La Paz, México

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Armando Trasviña Centro de Investigación Científica y Educación Superior de Ensenada, Unidad La Paz, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico

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Print Publication:
01 Oct 2016
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-16-0068.1
Page(s):
3069–3081
Restricted access

Abstract

The seasonal variations and the interactions of the water masses in the tropical Pacific off central Mexico (TPCM) and four surrounding areas were examined based on an extensive new hydrographic database. The regional water masses were redefined in terms of absolute salinity (SA) and conservative temperature (Θ) according to the Thermodynamic Equation of Seawater 2010 (TEOS-10). Hydrographic data and the evaporation minus (precipitation + runoff) balance were used to investigate the origin and seasonality of two salinity minima in the area. The shallow (50–100 m) salinity minimum originates with the California Current System and becomes saltier as it extends southeastward and mixes with tropical subsurface waters while the surface salinity minimum extends farther north in the TPCM in summer and fall because of the northward advection of tropical surface waters. The interactions between water masses allow a characterization of the seasonal pattern of circulation of the Mexican Coastal Current (MCC), the tropical branch of the California Current, and the flows through the entrance of the Gulf of California. The seasonality of the MCC inferred from the distribution of the water masses largely coincides with the geostrophic circulation forced by an annual Rossby wave.

Corresponding author address: Esther Portela, Departamento de Oceanografía Física, Centro de Investigación Científica y Educación Superior de Ensenada, Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana No. 3918, Zona Playitas, 22860 Ensenada, BC, Mexico. E-mail: estherinhabajoelmar@gmail.com

Abstract

The seasonal variations and the interactions of the water masses in the tropical Pacific off central Mexico (TPCM) and four surrounding areas were examined based on an extensive new hydrographic database. The regional water masses were redefined in terms of absolute salinity (SA) and conservative temperature (Θ) according to the Thermodynamic Equation of Seawater 2010 (TEOS-10). Hydrographic data and the evaporation minus (precipitation + runoff) balance were used to investigate the origin and seasonality of two salinity minima in the area. The shallow (50–100 m) salinity minimum originates with the California Current System and becomes saltier as it extends southeastward and mixes with tropical subsurface waters while the surface salinity minimum extends farther north in the TPCM in summer and fall because of the northward advection of tropical surface waters. The interactions between water masses allow a characterization of the seasonal pattern of circulation of the Mexican Coastal Current (MCC), the tropical branch of the California Current, and the flows through the entrance of the Gulf of California. The seasonality of the MCC inferred from the distribution of the water masses largely coincides with the geostrophic circulation forced by an annual Rossby wave.

Corresponding author address: Esther Portela, Departamento de Oceanografía Física, Centro de Investigación Científica y Educación Superior de Ensenada, Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana No. 3918, Zona Playitas, 22860 Ensenada, BC, Mexico. E-mail: estherinhabajoelmar@gmail.com
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